The Election

[Hohum]

Exit polls suggest Tories haven't got a majority. First actual result is in and somehow Labour got twice as many votes as anyone else, WTF!?!

Sunderland apparently has been a strong Labour territory in the past though. Don't know the reasoning, but I'd imagine the huge amount of pit closures around that area during the Thatcher years caused a lot of resentment towards the Tories.

[PeteJ]

Yeah I understand that...but still, WTF. That's two in the Sunderland area now.

Brown is the most useless fool ever to run this country, surely people can see past local history to get this goon out? Evidently not I suppose!

[abigsmurf]

Safe Labour seats are experiencing big swings towards conservative. If this is repeated in the marginal seats, it'll be a solid Tory majority

[PeteJ]

Yes just seen that, adjusted exit polls suggest a majority. But we shall see...

[abigsmurf]

surreal scenes. People shouting out football style chants as the results are announced at Sunderland central.

[Hohum]

Yeah I understand that...but still, WTF. That's two in the Sunderland area now.

Brown is the most useless fool ever to run this country, surely people can see past local history to get this goon out? Evidently not I suppose!

I guess they can't see past it as the area has really struggled to recover. Easily one of the poorest regions in the UK, such was the dependence on coal mining for employment. Incidentally I used to live in one of the villages relatively nearby from about 1990 to 1994 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murton,_County_Durham).

[prinnysquad]

Yeah I understand that...but still, WTF. That's two in the Sunderland area now.

Brown is the most useless fool ever to run this country, surely people can see past local history to get this goon out? Evidently not I suppose!

Sunderland has been Labour since long before the pits and shipyards were destroyed. Strong working class area. Cameron has said that the North East will be one of his priority targets for cutting 'waste' jobs in places like local government. Where you gonna create new jobs then, Threepio? These were 'fake' jobs created to cope with the end of local industry.

This local history is still in living memory for many voters and their families, and many won't change their vote because a leader sucks.

surreal scenes. People shouting out football style chants as the results are announced at Sunderland central.

Give us a break, league-Champions elect. We get nothing to shout about up here football wise. It was also a redrawn constituency that took in Tory strongholds from various boroughs, so Labour were a bit worried about its outcome. RIP Sunderland North

[prinnysquad]

Hohum - Murton is a pretty solid old pit village, as you'll well know, heh. Ever muck in at Hetton baths? With the changing rooms that didn't have doors?

This region got hit very, very hard in the 70s, 80s and 90s.

[PeteJ]

The law to lock people out at 10 is dated (rather than a cut off point for those queing), but come on.... You've had all day to vote!

[Hohum]

Hohum - Murton is a pretty solid old pit village, as you'll well know, heh. Ever muck in a Hetton baths? With the changing rooms that didn't have doors?

Don't think I ever did... remember using the Sunderland swimming baths, and one down by Peterlee (I think) for school swimming lessons, but that's it.

Did visit the village again for the first time in years back in 2008, and it was quite a depressing experience. My old street no longer exists (merged with another nearby), a lot of the surrounding houses have been demolished leaving empty fields, and both of the schools I attended have been flattened aswell. Shame really, as I have fond memories of that area.

[prinnysquad]

You were lucky! Sunderland leisure centre is decent, with slides, a diving pool, waves, and it even had an ice pad back in the day. Hetton was just a rectangle hollowed out of the ground with water poured into it, and probably a few turds bobbing amongst the lost sticking plasters. I still shudder with disgust at the thought of that changing room. Hairy arses and cocks everywhere.

[NeoStuey]

The law to lock people out at 10 is dated (rather than a cut off point for those queing), but come on.... You've had all day to vote!

Yeah they only had 15 hours. If it was that important to vote, work your lunch and arrive late to/leave early from work. Take a half/whole day holiday. And there's always the option to have registered to cast a postal vote.

I do sympathise that they missed their chance to vote but they look silly holding others completely accountable for that.

[Spatial]

So it looks like the new media powered Lib Dem Hype Train pulled out of the station and then promptly crashed off the rails because the tracks weren't finished.

[charlesr]

You can see why they want to reform parliament though. Lib Dems got almost as much % of the actual vote as Labour. And yet got absolutely sod all seats.

[Spatial]

Pretty much. It's becoming more and more clear to me why most people can't be bothered to vote.